Hold Me Tight
by The Sarcastic Polar Bear
Summary: She'll never be alone.


**Okay, everyone. Random oneshot that came to mind. I own nobody except for Mark Brown.**

Gunshots rang out, echoing against the walls of the SFPD precinct.

Natara Williams dodged a bullet as it whizzed past her. "Damn it!" She fumbled for her gun, which had been dropped amid the chaos. Her partner Mal Fallon grabbed her.

"Natara, get down!" He pulled her behind his desk. "You don't have your gun. Stay down!" Before she could protest, he slowly stood up and leveled his gun. "Drop your weapon, you son of a-"

Mark Brown shook his head. "No! I won't! He fired a bullet, which Mal dodged by less than an inch.

"At least open the door. It's getting lonely in here, don't you think?"

"Shut up!" Mark screamed.

"I'll be quiet as a mouse if you put your gun down." Mal aimed his handgun carefully.

"Be quiet, I said!" Mark roared and pulled the trigger without bothering to aim. The bullet struck the corner of a nearby desk, the metallic sound penetrating the air as the bullet ricocheted and finally found a target.

Natara tried to scream as the bullet lodged itself in Oscar Santos's chest, and he fell to the ground with a thud. Quickly she scrambled from her hiding spot and knelt by his side.

Mal watched the scene unfold from the corner of his eye, and he looked back to Mark. "Okay, you really need to cool it with that gun… it's not as cool as the movies make it look."

"I don't care what you say!" Mark yelled, his voice booming. He fired again, and Mal gritted his teeth as the bullet grazed his left bicep.

He quickly dodged the bullet Mal fired in return.

"Damn it… hold still!" Mal demanded. He carefully turned around, keeping his gaze on Mark as he unknowingly ventured into a corner. "And you're surrounded. Time to go."

"I ain't going anywhere!" he protested.

Mal's finger tightened on the trigger, and finally a gunshot rang out. The bullet shot through Mark's skull, and he fell to the ground in a heap. It took Mal several moments to react. Finally he made his way to Natara and Oscar.

"How is he?" he asked. Natara looked up at him, fear evident in her beautiful features. Her hands were pressed over the wound on Oscar's chest, and Mal called for an ambulance before he knelt down and placed his hands on top of hers, pushing down firmly.

"Come on, Oscar… hang on," Natara whispered, touching her boyfriend's cheek. He was nonresponsive as his eyes stared up at the ceiling. "Come on!" Her trembling voice cracked.

Mal let out a sigh. "Natara…"

"No."

"I'm sorry. He's gone." Mal leaned back, but Natara stayed frozen in place, her hands still lingering on the gunshot wound. She realized with a sickening horror that Mal was dead right, and her hands started to tremble. She sat back, unable to react.

"No…" she whispered. Mal reached out and gently touched her shoulder. "He… he…"

"I'm sorry, Nat," Mal said softly. Natara shakily got to her feet.

"I'm gonna go…" She started to leave, her knees threatening to give way beneath her. Mal grabbed her arm and turned her around to face him. "Mal… I'm fine."

"No. You're not. And if you're going to go… I'm coming with you. You shouldn't be alone." He grabbed her jacket and handed it to her.

"You don't need to," she argued. Mal ignored her and took her by the hand, nearly dragging her to his car. "Your place or mine?"

"Mine," she mumbled. Mal rested his hand over hers, trying to comfort her as they drove in eerie silence to her apartment. "You can take the bed."

He shook his head. "No. You take it. I'll take the couch." Natara let out a sigh but didn't further argue as she slipped into her bedroom wordlessly. Mal toed his shoes off and lay down on the couch, grabbing the blanket that was draped over the back of it.

He was stirred from a restless sleep later in the night when he heard sobs echoing from Natara's bedroom. He sat up and listened for a moment before he padded down the hall and cautiously opened her door. "Natara?" he whispered. Natara didn't move as she sat up in bed, sobbing softly. He sat down beside her. "Nat?"

She took Mal by surprise by leaning against him, tears streaming down her face. He put his arm around her and merely let her cry, her shoulders shaking.

"Sorry…"

"Don't apologize." He started to leave, but Natara reached out and grasped his wrist.

"Mal," she whispered. "Stay. Please." Mal nodded and lay down, allowing Natara to rest her head on his chest. She was still shaken, but something about Mal's presence soothed her, and her sobs ceased as he held her close.

She wasn't alone.

**DING DONG OSCAR'S DEAD! *dances in circles around his body* Um… I mean, please review! **


End file.
